This invention relates, generally, to power generation and more paticularly to the utilization of ferromagnetic materials to take advantage of temperature differentials present in the ocean for the purpose of generating power.
It is known that ferromagnetic materials exhibit different amounts of magnetization near their curie point or near a phase change. This phenomenon has generally been investigated for the purpose of providing a means for conversion into more readily usable forms of energy. Such an approach may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,126,492 "Ferromagnetic Energy Devices" issued Mar. 24, 1964 to T. J. Swoboda. Additionally, many methods have been envisioned to utilize ferro to paramagnetic properties such as may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,409 "Ferrofluidic Electrical Generator" issued Dec. 20, 1977 to Redman and U.S. Pat. No. 3,743,866 "Rotary Curie Point Magnetic Engine" issued July 3, 1973 to Pire.
However, these systems have generally not been economically feasible due to their overall low efficiency as well as the requirement of manmade thermal energy such as found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,963 "HydroThermic Energy Converter" issued Oct. 28, 1980 to Kurpanek.
It is desirable to have a device which utilizes ferromagnetic properties which utilize thermal conditions which are present in nature, thereby warranting the overall cost of a system. It is also desirable to have a device which has an overall efficiency greater than previously experienced so as to produce an economically feasible device. Such a scheme is taught in the present invention.
Briefly stated, a device for using ferromagnetic materials to generate electrical energy is shown comprising a water reservoir having a temperature differential between the surface thereof and at various depths thereat, at least one ferromagnetic continuous loop tape rotatably disposed around a plurality of rotational devices for producing differing magnetization trations at different temperatures, a plurality of rotational devices disposed in the water reservoir and rotatably attached to the ferromagnetic tape about the axis of each of the rotational devices, the plurality of rotational devices having at least a first rotating device disposed at a depth in the reservoir which is different than that of a second rotational device, magnetic field mechanisms surrounding a first portion of the tape for magnetically attracting a second portion of the tape wherein the second portion of the tape due to temperature differentials exhibits greater magnetization than the first portion of the tape thereby causing the tape to move and an electrical power generating device attached to at least one of the rotational devices for producing electrical energy upon the rotation of the ferromagnetic tape and hence the rotational device.